Salted With Fire

⏱️ 5 minutes.

Hello brethren!

Today, let’s take a look at Jesus’ instruction to His disciples concerning the coming suffering and persecution:

“For everyone will be salted with fire.”
— Mark 9:49

This short statement comes immediately after Jesus describes the cost of discipleship. In the previous verses, He advised His disciples to gouge out their eyes or cut off their hands and feet if those caused them to stumble. It would be better, He said, to enter life crippled than to go into hell with both hands, both feet, and both eyes.

Following this description of the cost of discipleship, Jesus then warns them about the hardships that would follow. The language He uses here is a reference to the Old Testament sacrifices:

“Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall bring salt.”
— Leviticus 2:13

In the Old Testament, the law required that all offerings be seasoned with salt.
The main use of salt was for purification and preservation. The sacrifices offered to God were purified and preserved through the application of salt.

This is what Jesus refers to when He says that everyone will be salted with fire. In this case, the sacrifice is the believer himself. The apostle Paul makes this same connection when he writes to the Romans:

“Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy and pleasing to God—which is your spiritual service of worship.”
— Romans 12:1

Here, the believer himself becomes the offering presented to God. The “salt” used to purify and preserve the believer, Jesus says, is fire.

This fire refers to persecution, hardships, and suffering that the believer will have to endure. In other words, Jesus is saying that these hardships serve the same purpose as salt—they purify and preserve the believer.

This brings a whole new perspective to the hardships we experience in life. Many times, we see trials as obstacles and burdens. However, that is not how our Lord intends them to be. Hardships are meant to purify us, sharpen us, and grow our faith in Christ. This is the same perspective the apostle Peter had when he wrote to the believers scattered across the nations:

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
— 1 Peter 1:6–7

Peter reminds us that our faith, though tested by fire, is more precious than gold. The “fire” he refers to represents the fiery trials believers endure. He later emphasizes the same point:

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.”
— 1 Peter 4:12

Again, Peter shares the same sentiment as our Lord—these fiery trials are not meant to destroy us, but to test and strengthen our faith. They serve the purpose of purification and preservation.

The trials believers face, however painful they may be, are designed to help us persevere, develop character, and depend more deeply on Jesus Christ for our redemption and salvation.

This is why James could say that our attitude toward trials should be one of joy:

“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
— James 1:2–3

This is completely contrary to the world’s view of suffering. Today, people spend much of their time and resources trying to avoid any form of hardship. When suffering does come, many feel powerless and hopeless—often turning inward instead of upward, trying to fix things by their own strength, which only worsens the situation.

Instead of running from trials, believers are called to adopt a godly perspective toward them. Charles Spurgeon captured this truth beautifully when he said:

“I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.”
— Charles Spurgeon

Trials are meant to build perseverance as they test our faith in the Lord. We must understand that whatever the Lord allows into our lives, He also equips us to endure and overcome. This is possible only when we depend completely on Him:

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
— 1 Corinthians 10:13

From Jesus’ statement, we learn three important truths:

1. Trials and suffering are inevitable in this life.
2. Their purpose is not to destroy us but to strengthen us.
3. God views us as living sacrifices, and like every offering that requires salt, we require the fire of suffering for purification and endurance.

Finally, we take comfort in the assurance that victory is already ours through Christ:

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
— John 16:33

May grace and peace be multiplied to you abundantly, enabling you to overcome every trial that comes your way.